Car Chat General discussion about Lexus, other auto manufacturers and automotive news.

Test Drove IS C and HS Today

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-16-09, 11:11 PM
  #1  
Trexus
Moderator
Thread Starter
 
Trexus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: California
Posts: 4,317
Received 38 Likes on 27 Posts
Default Test Drove IS C and HS Today

Early this morning my girlfriend and I test drove the IS C and HS at the Pelican Resort in Newport Beach.

I'll start off with the HS 250h first. In person the HS looks decent. There are a few quirks about it that many people on CL just don't like. Maybe since it's a hybrid these quicks are suppose to distinguish that this vehicle is different. I just don't know.

As I sat in the car, it was very spacious. It has the push button start and putting the car in drive is very similar to the second generation Prius. Driving the HS down the road it did feel a little heavy since the HS is bigger than the Prius, has the batteries and has more technological gadgets in the car. I do like how the MPH in digital format shows at the bottom of the windshield. Your eyes pretty much stays on the road as much as possible. My girlfriend sat in the back and liked how much room was back there. The HS was quiet doing sixty miles an hour but could have been more quiet. Overall I liked the car and so did my girlfriend. I could see myself getting an HS. Since this is the first attempt by Lexus to create a dedicated luxury hybrid I'm sure many will criticize this car which Lexus will listen hopefully and make the second generation a much more better and advanced vehicle. Here are pictures from this mornings test drive.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Here's on the quirks of this car. I don't like how the little triangular window goes deep into the fenders.
8

9

Last edited by Trexus; 05-17-09 at 07:30 PM.
Trexus is offline  
Old 05-16-09, 11:13 PM
  #2  
Trexus
Moderator
Thread Starter
 
Trexus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: California
Posts: 4,317
Received 38 Likes on 27 Posts
Default

Not sure why we're limited to posting only ten pictures per post? Seems likes there's more and more regulations and pretty soon we'll only be able to post five pictures per post....

Interior pictures.
1

2

3

4
Trexus is offline  
Old 05-16-09, 11:20 PM
  #3  
bad co
Lexus Champion
 
bad co's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Park Ridge IL
Posts: 2,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I would like the car if lexus did not steal the tails of a Chevy Aveo. I hate the dashboard too it looks to cheep over nice cars but those too things are deal breakers for me
bad co is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 12:02 AM
  #4  
Solo_D33A
Lexus Champion
 
Solo_D33A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Richmond
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

I don't like how the exhaust manifold is exposed in the front, doesn't really fit Lexus to have exposed exhaust.

Otherwise, the car is fine for my taste... it ain't bad, but it's not that good either...
Solo_D33A is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 12:08 AM
  #5  
Trexus
Moderator
Thread Starter
 
Trexus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: California
Posts: 4,317
Received 38 Likes on 27 Posts
Default

Now for the IS C. I do have to say I think the IS C looks better with the top down. My girlfriend drove the IS 350C and she liked it. She did say it seemed a tad bit heavier. My girlfriend and I agreed that we like the looks of the SC 430 better than the IS C.

1
huge pic
2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Last edited by bitkahuna; 05-17-09 at 07:23 AM.
Trexus is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 12:50 AM
  #6  
encore888
Lexus Champion
 
encore888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 8,695
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Default

Thanks for the report and pictures, Trexus!
encore888 is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 05:41 AM
  #7  
ChronoJ1
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
ChronoJ1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: IL
Posts: 3,265
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

good god.... HS shouldn't bear the badge of lexus.
ChronoJ1 is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 06:24 AM
  #8  
Hey Johnny
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (3)
 
Hey Johnny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Bergen County, New Jersey
Posts: 15,059
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Great pics, not too sure I like either car.
Hey Johnny is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 06:28 AM
  #9  
Hey Johnny
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (3)
 
Hey Johnny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Bergen County, New Jersey
Posts: 15,059
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

wait, is that stick IS C?
Hey Johnny is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 07:15 AM
  #10  
dr Lu
Driver
 
dr Lu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NY
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

great pics and input...wouldnt get either tho
dr Lu is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 07:20 AM
  #11  
TripleL
No Substitute

 
TripleL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: RI
Posts: 2,707
Received 11 Likes on 8 Posts
Default

Great pics! thanks so much for posting. The IS-C is growing on me
TripleL is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 07:20 AM
  #12  
Gojirra99
Super Moderator
 
Gojirra99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 30,050
Received 186 Likes on 127 Posts
Default

Thanks for the pics Did you look inside the IS-C trunk ?

I think the IS-C is another car that would look better with the darker/black colors, it would help hide some of the awkwardness of the rear trunk lid area.
From the rear, you can see the black one above look the best.

Last edited by Gojirra99; 05-17-09 at 07:25 AM.
Gojirra99 is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 07:21 AM
  #13  
bitkahuna
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
 
bitkahuna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Present
Posts: 73,681
Received 2,096 Likes on 1,359 Posts
Default

trexus - thanks for the pics. the best looking thing in them by far is your girlfriend.

but seriously, the is-c looks best (IMO) in black because that always hides flaws (that's why heavy people wear it a lot).

hs250 is just foul.

Last edited by bitkahuna; 05-17-09 at 11:17 AM.
bitkahuna is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 07:24 AM
  #14  
bitkahuna
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
 
bitkahuna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Present
Posts: 73,681
Received 2,096 Likes on 1,359 Posts
Default

trexus, to make this thread's posts not display so wide i replaced your one 1600 wide pic with a link.
bitkahuna is offline  
Old 05-17-09, 07:31 AM
  #15  
Gojirra99
Super Moderator
 
Gojirra99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 30,050
Received 186 Likes on 127 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by bitkahuna
initially you wrote:
but later you wrote:
so maybe you couldn't see yourself getting one.
Your initial and later quotes^^ are not from the same poster Only the initial comment is from Trexus. Haven't had your morning coffee yet ?
Gojirra99 is offline  


Quick Reply: Test Drove IS C and HS Today



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:44 AM.